Planet Brooklyn

The cover of Planet Brooklyn puts me off, and had for a while as it looked like one of those ‘How to be a Player’ sort of black movies that make you wonder why you wasted the last hour and a half of your life on that crap. However I decided to take the plunge anyway and I am so glad that I did. This film centers around two best friends in their late 20’s, Ish and Oz, who have dedicated their lives to circumventing the system by any means necessary. They do not want to be part of the 9 to 5 grind in any way shape or form. (I mean who does?) Ish is played by real life Ishmael Butler better known as ‘Butterfly’ of the now defunct Digable Planets and current member of the mashup outfit ‘Cherry Wine’ (and one of the finest brothers in existence..but I digress) and hip hop fixture Bonz Mallone as Oz. Oz happened to inherit a nice Brooklyn apartment from his grandmother’s passing; so he and Ish pretty much squat there making ends meet by Ish giving haircuts in the living room and Oz gambling. They both speak obsessively about a band that they are supposed to be assembling, and have been since junior high. When they aren’t at the house they are at the local record shop putting records on lay away and blowing on about their band with the shops owner Smokey. The two are constantly trailed by Junie, a dude who is enthusiastic about music too, but always seems to have outlandish claims about who he knows and how talented he is. Ish and Oz let him hang but don’t take him too seriously. Ish seems to be from a great middle class home, that he sneaks in and out of to get records and groceries. He and his father aren’t on good terms because Ish chose his own path. One day when Ish is walking home he sees a gorgeous lady bombing a wall, and falls for her instantly. Her name is Veronica, and she’s a multi talented artists as well as the woman of his dreams. They fall for eachother, each encouraging the other to follow their dreams. However each has their own demons to deal with when it comes to making something real happen instead of doing it as a hobby or just talking about it everyday.


One day when they two are out a bird takes a dump on Oz’ head, and he takes it as a sign of good luck and begins gambling all over town and wins. He then goes to Atlantic city to ride his streak and wins even more. Oz feels unstoppable. One day he calls the local bookie, Wolfie to place a bet for $3,000 and loses. He decides to get out of town for a while till things blow over. The next thing you know the three of them are piled in an old Cadillac to go camping for a few days. When they return, things haven’t blown over and Wolfie wants his payment. When Oz tells him he can’t pay, Wolfie comes up with shotgun alternative. Back at the apartment Veronica and Ish are chilling and Veronica pops in a cassette tape that was lying around, and it’s hot. Turns out Junie wasn’t lying about his talent afterall, and Ish goes to find him to finally start his band. This film definitely speaks to that part of us that never wants to compromise for the sake of growing up. Well written, and emotionally honest.